The exhaust from a clothes dryer, a bathroom fan, a kitchen fan or similar device is typically routed to the outside atmosphere by means of some type of conduit and vent. The exit location from the corresponding structure is typically an outside wall of the structure. The conduit is secured to an exhaust conduit of the clothes dryer, bathroom fan, or kitchen fan and then routed to the exit location. At the exit location a flow opening or passageway is created in the structure wall and a suitable vent is mounted into, onto, or across the exit flow opening. In order to substantially prevent the inflow or backflow of outside air, as well as to prevent the entry of moisture which may result from rain or snow, conventional exhaust vents may be covered with a hood and may include a one-way or hinged flapper or a series of hinged louvers secured within a surrounding frame.
One of the problems with conventional vents, such as louvers or flappers, is that external vent hoods and even the conduit itself open out into the atmosphere and create a protected, warm location for birds and small animals to nest. The building of a nest in this area can prevent the conduit, flappers or louvers from freely opening in response to exiting exhaust air from the clothes dryer or similar device. Such an obstruction caused by the nest and/or birds or animals may interfere with the operation of the clothes dryer, cause damage to the clothes dryer, and could even create a risk of fire. Additionally, conventional clothes dryers may not provide any heat when such an obstruction causes limited or diminished air flow to the dryer. Even if the flapper or louvers are operable, an open and unguarded conduit provides an entrance path into the structure for birds and small animals. Moreover, birds and small animals are often able to open the flappers or louvers to gain entry into the conduit.
Some conventional systems utilize grid-like guards to cover either the conduit opening or hood opening to prevent entry of birds and small animals. However, these conventional grid-like guard systems require constant monitoring to prevent build up of lint exiting the clothes dryer through the conduit, and require frequent and repeated cleanings to clear the passageways. If the screen or grid is not cleaned or cleared, the blockage of air flow may interfere with the operation of the clothes dryer or other device. Additionally, conventional systems also experience issues with chattering or vibration from vents during operation. Further, conventional systems equipped with relatively large, fixed hoods are generally unsightly, may entrap lint or other debris within the hood due to turbulence in the air or fluid flow within the hood, and may provide attractive space for hornet and wasp nests and the like. Also, fixed hood vents having pivoting vent doors may also encounter annoying and noisy flapping of the door within the hood in windy conditions even when there is no air flow through the conduit. This flapping can also create the opportunity for nesting and/or entry of birds or animals in the fluid conduit.
Therefore, there is a need for an improvement to existing dryer exhaust vent design so that birds and small animals or insects cannot nest inside the hood or gain access to the area adjacent to the vent flapper or vent louvers around the conduit.
There is a further need for unrestricted, free flow of exhaust from the clothes dryer while still providing a suitable barrier to the entry of birds and small animals without requiring frequent repeated inspection and maintenance to ensure unrestricted free flow of exhaust.